The Essentials of Age of Sigmar Battleplans
This question pops up a lot, so I wanted to clear up some things that might not be super obvious when you first read the core rulebook about battleplans and how they work with different game modes.
What’s free to play?
The core rules are free! You can download them directly from Games Workshop https://www.warhammer-community.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bHB57xEZVMKO4T1U.pdf.
What do I need to buy?
The actual missions, called Battleplans, are not included in the core rules. These are described in the core rulebook on page 28.2. There are many sources for Battleplans, like army books (Battletomes) and extra rulebooks. Right now, the most recent ones are General’s Handbook 2022 and Season of War: Thondia. You can also use Battleplans from older releases if you can find them.
What are Battlepacks?
A Battlepack is a set of rules that goes with specific Battleplans from the same sourcebook. You only use one Battlepack at a time, so you don’t need both the General’s Handbook and the Thondia book for a complete game. You can even play Thondia Battleplans with the General’s Handbook rules if you and your opponent agree.
Open Play, Narrative Play, and Matched Play: What’s the Difference?
The beauty of Age of Sigmar is that you can play it how you want!
- Open Play: Want to make up your own rules and Battleplans, or use a mix of what you have? Open play is for you. Just talk to your opponent and agree on everything beforehand.
- Narrative Play: In the mood for a campaign or a more thematic game that’s not perfectly balanced? Narrative play is your best bet.
- Matched Play: Want to play with the official rules and have a balanced game? Matched play is the way to go.
How big should my army be?
In Open Play and sometimes Narrative Play, you and your opponent can decide on a point limit for your armies. Popular choices are 1000, 1500, and 2000 points. You can play bigger games too, if you want!
Matched Play games are typically 2000 points. Age of Sigmar army lists are very strict about points, and you can’t go even a little bit over the limit. If your list is over 2000 points, you’ll need to make some adjustments, like dropping a unit or adding a spell.
What if I don’t have enough points or I’m new?
Don’t worry about all this at the beginning! Just play with the models you have and the rules you understand. You can add more complexity as you get more comfortable with the game. For example, the Mysterious Terrain rule (core rule 28.1.3) can be a bit tricky to remember at first. You can always wait to start using it until you’re more familiar with the core mechanics.
Anything else to know?
The General’s Handbook is mostly focused on Matched Play. It’s a popular choice because it has the latest rules and updates for the game. But you don’t necessarily need it to play. However, if you ever want to play in a tournament, you’ll probably need to use the most recent General’s Handbook rules.
Season of War: Thondia isn’t just for Narrative Play. It has stuff for Open and Matched Play too, but it’s especially good for Narrative Play. It even has a random Battleplan generator for Open Play games!
Free Battleplans, maps for Warhammer Age of Sigmar│Wardoc. 